Method and Apparatus for Backplane Support of 100/1000 Ethernet

Abstract

A method and apparatus for backplane support of 100/1000 Ethernet. A communication card for use in a chassis system is provided that includes a 100BASE-TX physical layer device component, a 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component, and a backplane connector, which is configured for enabling communication by the communication card over a backplane of the chassis system. The communication card also includes a selection module (e.g., a multiplexer) that is configured to selectively couple one of the 100BASE-TX physical layer device component and the 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component to the backplane connector, wherein the selective coupling enables a selected one of the 100BASE-TX physical layer device component and the 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component to communicate with a second communication card via the backplane of the chassis system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication card for use in a chassis, comprising:
 a backplane connector that is configured to enable communication by said communication card over a backplane of said chassis;   a 100BASE-TX physical layer device component;   a 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component;   a selection module that is configured to selectively couple one of said 100BASE-TX physical layer device component and said 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component to said backplane connector, wherein said selective coupling enables a selected one of said 100BASE-TX physical layer device component and said 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component to communicate with a second communication card via said backplane of said chassis.   
     
     
         2 . The communication card of  claim 1 , wherein said selection modules is a multiplexer. 
     
     
         3 . The communication card of  claim 1 , wherein a selection of said 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component is responsive to an auto-negotiation process. 
     
     
         4 . The communication card of  claim 1 , wherein a selection of said 100BASE-TX physical layer device component is responsive to a manual configuration process. 
     
     
         5 . The communication card of  claim 1 , wherein said communication card facilitates an out-of-band control communication channel over said backplane. 
     
     
         6 . A method, comprising:
 determining, by a first communication card, a transmission capability of a second communication card that is coupled to said first communication card via a backplane in a chassis system, said first communication card including a 100BASE-TX physical layer device component and a 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component;   selectively coupling, by said first communication card based on said determination, one of said 100BASE-TX physical layer device component and said 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component to a backplane connector coupled to said backplane, wherein said selective coupling enables a selected one of said 100BASE-TX physical layer device component and said 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component to communicate with said second communication card via said backplane of said chassis; and   activating a selective one of said 100BASE-TX physical layer device component and said 1000BASE-KX physical layer device component to communicate with said second communication card via said backplane.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said selectively coupling is based at least in part on an auto-negotiation process. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said selectively coupling is based at least in part on a manual configuration process. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein communication between said first and second communication cards is an out-of-band control communication channel. 
     
     
         10 . A communication card for use in a chassis, comprising:
 a backplane connector that is configured to enable communication by said communication card over a backplane of said chassis;   a selection module that is configured to selectively couple one of a 100 Mbit/s physical layer device component and a 1 Gbit/s physical layer device component to said backplane connector, wherein said selective coupling enables a selected one of said 100 Mbit/s physical layer device component and said 1 Gbit/s physical layer device component to communicate with a second communication card via said backplane of said chassis.   
     
     
         11 . The communication card of  claim 10 , wherein said 100 Mbit/s physical layer device component substantially conforms to IEEE 100BASE-TX. 
     
     
         12 . The communication card of  claim 10 , wherein said 1 Gbit/s physical layer device component substantially conforms to IEEE 1000BASE-KX. 
     
     
         13 . The communication card of  claim 10 , wherein said communication card facilitates an out-of-band control communication channel over said backplane. 
     
     
         14 . The communication card of  claim 10 , wherein said selection module is responsive at least in part to an auto-negotiation process. 
     
     
         15 . The communication card of  claim 10 , wherein said selection module is responsive at least in part to a manual configuration process.